Ruling: Hush money judge decides if Trump can bump sentencing until after election

The judge in Donald Trump's criminal hush money trial ruled Friday to delay the Republican presidential nominee and convicted felon's sentencing hearing until after Election Day on Nov. 5, reports show.

New York City Justice Juan Merchan decided Trump should not face sentencing on 34 counts of falsifying business records tied to a hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election, MSNBC reporter Kyle Griffin shared on X, citing Reuters.

The new sentencing date is now Nov. 26.

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A jury found Trump guilty in May of using fraudulent means to bury salacious stories he feared might torpedo his lone successful bid for the White House.

Trump requested the delay in August on the grounds that criminal sentencing could improperly influence the upcoming presidential election.

The former president also tried to bump the case to federal court in an argument citing the Supreme Court's controversial ruling on presidential immunity in his ongoing election interference case.

A federal judge rejected that demand Tuesday, ruling the hush money payments “were private, unofficial acts, outside the bounds of executive authority.”

Trump is expected to face in November a tight race against Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, a former prosecutor.